Wanna hear a really lovely story?
June 2nd, 1975. Lyon, France. A bunch of sex workers occupied a church in an act of protest against discrimination and failure by police to investigate or prosecute crimes against them. The cops responded by threatening to take their children away if they did not vacate the church.
Once this threat was uttered, the situation changed dramatically. Non sex working women from the town were shocked from their complacency, and joined the sex workers in the church, rendering the police unable to tell who was and wasn’t a sex worker. Bit of an “I am Spartacus” moment, that.
International Whores Day is held every June 2nd, to commemorate this action. It is considered to be one of the formative moments of what we now know as the sex worker’s rights movement. This year, Scarlet Alliance is holding a Red Umbrella protest march.
Sex workers at the Sydney demonstration will be wearing red and carrying red umbrellas in solidarity with sex workers around the world & to fight discrimination.
Meet Outside Parliament House, Sydney
Wear Red, Bring a Red Umbrella
THIS Tuesday 2nd June, 12:30pm
Sex workers are demanding protection under anti-discrimination and equal opportunity laws in response to unfair bias from financial institutions, lenders, Local Councils and in advertising. Supporters are invited to join us.
Come along and join us in the spirit of that first demonstration. It’s a lot harder to discriminate against sex workers when supporters stand up against stigma with us.
I’m trying to get a few hours off work that day, but I may not be able to. I’d feel a lot better if I knew I’d sent a few supportive bodies along :)
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{ 11 comments }
Hmm… my googling so far only finds references to it in Australia, and I was hoping to find some Canadian protests. (I’m way too busy to organise one this year.) Is there a roundup or group international page?
I haven’t seen one, but Bound, Not Gagged tend to do round ups of global sex worker events. Perhaps keep an eye on that blog?
hexy’s last blog post..Epic stupid slightly lessened in NT
Thanks for this Hexy, I really like this story. I can’t make the protest, but I think I will hunt down and buy a big red umbrella for Tuesday, and ensure I discuss the event with as many people prior to Tuesday as I can. I work in an office which is like a little microcosm of the apathetic indifference of much of the general public with the one big exception that here they listen when you make a point, so we’re currently discussing the event, why the choice of name (which one boss sees as derogatory), and the surrounding issues. It feels good to be able to bring things to their attention that would otherwise be beyond their scope of exposure, and many thanks for bringing this to my attention.
fuckpoliteness’s last blog post..This just in: the whole madonnas/whores thing? Like, SO last season
I got a bit teary when I first found out about it. The idea of non sex working women uniting with sex workers in the form of protest the sex workers had chosen… yeah. :)
And I love your idea. That’s a great way of participating. Thank you for having that conversation.
hexy’s last blog post..Epic stupid slightly lessened in NT
Thank you so much for sharing that story, Hexy. While I was aware of the day, I did not know the moving story of sorority behind it… It is very powerful.
You’re welcome. :)
hexy’s last blog post.."I do not believe that standing up for the rights of a sister to speak without being attacked, is an attack"
Fantastic idea, and loving an excuse to buy a red umbrella. I’ll do my best to be there.
I counted about twenty or so umbrellas when I came past on my way to grab lunch this afternoon, I’m sorry I couldn’t stick around longer to applaud you more.
I, alas, am stuck at work. I’m glad to hear there’s a good turn out!
hexy’s last blog post.."I do not believe that standing up for the rights of a sister to speak without being attacked, is an attack"
And here, in an act of bizarre self-reference, the Daily Tele covers its own discrimination.
Thanks for the link.
Discrimination in advertising is oft-mentioned annoyance to sex workers, and prices many right out of independent advertising… which itself restricts our choices.
hexy’s last blog post.."I do not believe that standing up for the rights of a sister to speak without being attacked, is an attack"
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